If you want floorstanders, get B&W 683s. The bookshelf speakers in the 600 series are decent as well. As far as speakers I've actually listened to myself, these are the best I can think of if you're on a budget.
As for the rest of the components, tbh I'd ditch the CD-changer. You can get decent ones on eBay from $50-100. Denon, Marantz, NAD and so on, they all make really decent equipment.
Forget expensive cables, double blind studies have proven almost beyond a doubt that even audiophiles cannot distinguish between $150/m Monster cables and coat hangers.
So I bought some home audio components...and have questions!
Re: So I bought some home audio components...and have questi
I will tend to agree with everyone here in that cables don't matter too much and SPEAKERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! Right now I'm using a terrible shit setup with $5 thrift store speakers with absolutely no low end, but I don't have money for a nice set of speakers.
You can have a mediocre amp with regular old radioshack speaker wire and the setup with sound great with a nice pair of speakers. It also depends on the music you're listening to. A lot of modern rock is compressed already in the studio depending what medium it was mastered for and you won't notice a 320 vs. FLAC comparison, but I bet even a casual listener would be able to notice a small difference in an older jazz/orchestral record (or even new depending on the recording methods).
I'm assuming you have the same Sony 100 turntable or whatever that I have. It does the job. Again - my records would sound 100% better with even a decent pair of speakers. Speaker choice depends on what you're using it for. I've only used my setup for records. I've never had a home theater or video-game type setup. I'll have to agree with Ziggy on the floor speakers for home theater. It also wouldn't sound "bad" if you used a setup for casual listening. Gear nerds get too hung up on getting the most hi-fi setup. I have books from the 50's on amp design and they had the same ridiculous arguments audiophiles are having today. It's hardly a "science".
You can have a mediocre amp with regular old radioshack speaker wire and the setup with sound great with a nice pair of speakers. It also depends on the music you're listening to. A lot of modern rock is compressed already in the studio depending what medium it was mastered for and you won't notice a 320 vs. FLAC comparison, but I bet even a casual listener would be able to notice a small difference in an older jazz/orchestral record (or even new depending on the recording methods).
I'm assuming you have the same Sony 100 turntable or whatever that I have. It does the job. Again - my records would sound 100% better with even a decent pair of speakers. Speaker choice depends on what you're using it for. I've only used my setup for records. I've never had a home theater or video-game type setup. I'll have to agree with Ziggy on the floor speakers for home theater. It also wouldn't sound "bad" if you used a setup for casual listening. Gear nerds get too hung up on getting the most hi-fi setup. I have books from the 50's on amp design and they had the same ridiculous arguments audiophiles are having today. It's hardly a "science".
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Black Lodge Amplification: http://blacklodgeamps.tumblr.com/
Black Lodge Amplification: http://blacklodgeamps.tumblr.com/